Tuition, Charges, and Fees

Tuition charges at Texas state universities are established by state law. The 78th Texas Legislature (2003) allowed the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System to set designated tuition rates. The Texas Legislature does not set the specific amount for any particular student fee. Student fees assessed are authorized by state statute; however, the specific fee amounts and the determination to increase fees are made by the University administration and The University of Texas System Board of Regents.

Other expenses at The University of Texas at Tyler are fixed within statutory limitations by the Board of Regents. The cost to attend UT Tyler varies with the individual student. Information relating to the cost of attendance and financial aid opportunities can be found online at http://www.uttyler.edu/admissions/costs/. The university reserves the right to change tuition and fees in keeping with acts of the Texas Legislature and/or policies of the Board of Regents.

Payment of Fees

Students are expected to pay all fees at the time of registration, have an approved financial aid program arranged by the Student Financial Aid Office prior to registration, or pay by installments as outlined below. Payment may be made by cash, check, credit card, or money order. Checks, money order, and credit card (VISA, Master Card, Discover, American Express) payments will be accepted subject to final collection by the university’s bank. All tuition and fee payments by third parties, i.e. employers of students, clubs, service organizations and relatives of students, must be arranged by the Student Financial Aid Office prior to registration.

Option to Pay Tuition and Fees by Installments

Students of UT Tyler may make payment of tuition and fees for the fall and spring semesters through one of the following installment plan options:

3 payment installment plan with an installment fee of $25.00

4 payment installment plan with an installment fee of $35.00

5 payment installment plan with an installment fee of $45.00

A late payment fee of $25 will be assessed for each late payment.

A student who fails to provide full payment of tuition and fees, including late fees assessed, when payments are due, is subject to one or more of the following actions:

Bar from registration/deny readmission;

Withholding of grades, degree and official transcript;

Denial of course credit for work done that semester;

Apply appropriate penalties as established by law;

Referral of debt to collection agency.

Residents of States other than Texas

Residency Classifications

All students must, upon application to the University, complete a certification of residency form.

While State requirements for establishing residency are complex and should be referred to in each particular circumstance, they generally require that an independent individual (18 years of age or older) establish a domicile in Texas and reside in Texas for a period of 12 months prior to the census date of the academic term in which the person is enrolled.

For minors and dependents, the parents or court-appointed legal guardian must have established a domicile and meet the above residency requirements. The minor or dependent must be eligible to be claimed by the parent or court-appointed legal guardian on their federal income tax. An individual may also be classified as a Texas resident if the individual (1) graduated from a public or private high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma in Texas; (2) resided in Texas for at least three years as of the date the person graduated from high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma; and (3) continuously resided in Texas for one year prior to the census date of the academic term in which the person is enrolled. Texas Education Code, 54.052.

Persons who are unable to meet the requirements above are classified as nonresidents.

The Office of Admissions is guided by the Texas Education Code, the Rules and Regulations of the Board of Regents and the Rules and Regulations for Determining Residence Status of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in determining the resident status of students. The law governing residence for tuition purposes is not the same as the law governing residence for voting, vehicle registration, etc. Various circumstances can affect a student’s residence status for tuition purposes: i.e. death or divorce of parents, custody of minor by court order, and active military duty of student or student’s parents. A nonresident student classification is presumed correct as long as the individual continues as a student. However, the nonresident presumption is not conclusive, and it is possible that a nonresident student may be reclassified to resident student status after residing in Texas for at least 12 months and evidencing unequivocal intent to remain in the state.

Responsibility for Residency Classification

The responsibility for registering under the proper residence is placed upon the student. It is the student’s duty, at or before registration, if there is any possible question of the right to legal residence in Texas under the state law and the university rules; to raise the question with the Office of Admissions and have such questions settled prior to registration. Copies of Rules and Regulations for Determining Residence Status prepared by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board are available in the Office of Admissions. There can be no change of resident status except upon express authorization by the Director of Admissions. Attempts on the part of a nonresident student to evade the nonresident fee are a serious matter and may lead to disciplinary action, including expulsion and/or penalty as set forth in the law.

Special Tuition Classifications for Nonresidents

Listed below are some exceptions which permit nonresidents to pay resident tuition rates. All special tuition exceptions must be approved through the Office of Student Financial Aid prior to the census date each term.

A nonresident or foreign student employed at least half-time in a program-related position such as teaching assistant or a research assistant is entitled to pay the same tuition as a resident of Texas. The student’s spouse and children may also be enrolled under this classification.

A nonresident or foreign student holding a competitive academic scholarship of at least $1,000 for the academic year in which he/she enrolled is entitled to pay the tuition required of Texas residents provided he/she competes with other students including Texas residents for the scholarship and the scholarship is awarded by a scholarship committee recognized by UT Tyler and approved by the Coordinating Board.

Usually, a member of the United States military forces is entitled to pay the resident tuition fee for self or dependents. The student must submit appropriate evidence including a statement from his/her commanding officer stating that the member is currently on permanent active duty assignment within the state of Texas.

Students who reside in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma may be charged the statutory rate for Texas residents, plus $30.00 per semester credit hour. Students must demonstrate residency by providing a current driver’s license or copies of their state tax returns for the current year. This must be presented each semester prior to payment of tuition and fees.

The Texas Education Code, §54.058 et seq. includes other exceptions not reprinted in the catalog. For more information consult the cited statutes, the Office of Student Financial Aid, or refer to the Coordinating Board's website, http://www.collegefortexans.com.

Tuition and Fee Exemptions

Certain students are exempt from paying tuition and some of the required fees by state law. Specific eligibility requirements under these provisions can be obtained from the Student Financial Aid Office. Applications for exemptions must be completed prior to the census date for the semester. Exempt classifications include the following:

Residents of the State of Texas who were classified as Prisoners of War on or after January 1, 1999 and were Texas residents at the time they entered the armed services are exempt from tuition, required fees and other expenses related to attending the university.

Residents of the State of Texas who are children of Prisoners of War or Persons Missing in Action are exempt from paying all tuition and required fees.

Blind and/or deaf students eligible for the rehabilitation services of the State Commission for the Blind and/or the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation of the Texas Education Agency are exempt from all tuition and fees.

Minor children and surviving spouses of firemen; peace officers, municipal, county or state peace officer or game warden disabled or killed-on-duty may be exempt from paying tuition and fees, and other expenses related to attending the university.

Hazlewood Act benefits:

Veterans (and dependents of veterans who died in active service) of World War II, Korean War, the Cold War, and certain other qualified veterans who have no remaining veterans’ administration educational benefits may be eligible for Hazlewood Act benefits for up to 150 credit hours if they were a resident of Texas at the time they entered the armed forces, currently reside in Texas, entered the service at a location in Texas, and received an honorable discharge from the service.

Children or the spouse of members of the US armed forces, Texas National Guard and the Texas Air National Guard killed since January 1, 1946, while on active duty either in the service of their state or the United States may also be eligible under this provision. In order to qualify for benefits under the Hazlewood Act, the veteran must file with the Office of Student Financial Aid prior to registration each semester.

Children or the spouse of members of the armed forces, the Texas National Guard, or the Texas Air National Guard who became totally disabled as a result of a service-related injury.

Residents of the State of Texas who are 65 years of age or older may audit courses without paying the regular audit fees, providing class space is available.

Residents of the State of Texas who are 65 years of age or older may enroll in the fall, spring, and summer semesters and receive an exemption for the cost of tuition for up to six hours each semester.

Individuals who were in foster care or other residential care under the conservatorship of the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services should contact Office of Student Financial Aid to determine if they qualify for tuition and fees exemption.

Police officers who are Texas residents and have become permanently disabled as a result of an injury suffered during the performance of a duty as a peace officer of this state or a political subdivision of this state, and are unable to continue employment as a peace officer because of the disability may be eligible for exemption of tuition for undergraduate courses and required fees.

Certain members of the Texas National Guard may be exempt from tuition and mandatory fee for up to 12 semester credit hours.

A student who has a voucher(s) from the Veterans Commission in $25 increments for having played "taps" at military honors funerals.

A registered nurse serving as a clinical preceptor for undergraduates in a professional nursing program may be eligible for a $500 tuition exemption. The exemption may also apply to the nurse's children.

The highest ranking high school graduate is exempt from tuition for the first two semesters following graduation.

Adopted children who were formerly in foster or other residential care are exempt from tuition and fees.

Children of certain faculty or staff members employed by the university's nursing program are exempt from tuition.

Certain students who completed high school early or with at least 30 college credit hours may be eligible for tuition and fee exemptions ranging from $500 to $2000.

Continued receipt of a tuition and fee exemption and/or waiver is conditioned on the student maintaining a GPA for making satisfactory academic progress and, if an undergraduate, not completing an excessive number of credit hours. (Texas Education Code, Sections 54.2001 and 54.2002)

Tuition Rebate for Qualified Students

A qualified student is eligible to apply for a rebate of a portion of the undergraduate tuition the student has paid, in accordance with Section 54.0065 of the Texas Education Code. The 1997 Texas Legislature approved a tuition rebate plan for students receiving their first baccalaureate degree. For a student to be eligible for a rebate of a portion of the undergraduate tuition the student has paid: they must be Texas residents having enrolled for the first time in an institution of higher education in the fall of 1997 or later; attempted all work at a Texas public institution of higher education and been entitled to pay resident tuition at all times while pursuing the degree and must not have attempted more than three hours in excess of the minimum required for the degree, including transfer credits and course credit earned exclusively by examination. Only the number of semester credit hours earned exclusively by examination in excess of nine semester credit hours is treated as hours attempted

Rebate Application forms are available through Enrollment Services. Eligible students must apply for this rebate prior to graduation.

Schedule of Refunds

If a student formally drops one or more courses through Enrollment Services, the university will refund applicable tuition and fees collected for courses from which a student drops within the first 12 days of a fall or spring semester, within the first four days of a summer term, or within the first day of a mini session, provided the student remains enrolled at the institution for that semester or term. Refunds for courses dropped by a student who later in the semester or term withdraws from the institution will be calculated according to the following schedule:

Regular semester, Long Summer

prior to first class day

100%

during first five class days

80%

during second five class days

70%

during third five class days

50%

during fourth five class days

25%

after fourth five class days

no refund

Summer I and II semester

prior to first class day

100%

during the first, second, or third class day

80%

during fourth, fifth, or sixth class day

50%

seventh class day and thereafter

no refund

For refunds, the effective date of withdrawal will be the date when the withdrawal is officially completed and recorded by Enrollment Services. If a scheduled course of instruction is cancelled by the university, all fees will be refunded. No refunds will be made unless applied for in the same school year as withdrawal. Immediate refund will not be made to students who withdraw during the refund period. Normally, refunds will be disbursed according to the refund preference indicated through the P2 Card within 30 days from the last day of scheduled refunds.

All policies regarding the payment or refunding of tuition, fees, and charges comply with applicable statutes and are approved by the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System. If a person desires clarification of any matter relating to payment or refund of such charges, or believes special circumstances warrant exceptions to the published policy, the Office of Business Affairs at UT Tyler should be contacted.

Refunding for Students in Title IV Programs

As an institution participating in programs under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 as amended ("Act"), The University of Texas at Tyler is required to refund unearned tuition, fees, room and board, and other charges to certain students attending the institution for the first time who have received a grant, a loan, or work assistance under Title IV of the Act, or whose parents have received a loan on their behalf under 20 U.S.C. Section 1087-2. The refund is required if the student does not register for, withdraws from, or otherwise fails to complete the period of enrollment for which the financial assistance was intended. No refund is required if the student withdraws after a point in time that is sixty percent of the period of enrollment for which the charges were assessed. A student who withdraws prior to that time is entitled to a refund of tuition, fees, room and board, and other charges that is the larger of the amount provided for in Section 54.006, Texas Education Code, or a pro rata refund calculated pursuant to Section 484B of the Act, reduced by the amount of any unpaid charges and a reasonable administrative fee not to exceed the lesser of five percent of the tuition, fees, room and board, and other charges that were assessed for the enrollment period, or $100. If the student charges were paid by Title IV funds, a portion or all of the refund will be returned to these programs.

Tuition and Mandatory Fees

Students pay a statutory tuition rate of $50 per semester credit hour for Texas Residents (See below, Excess Hours) and $404 per semester credit hour for Non-Texas Residents. Students also pay a designated tuition of $129 per undergraduate credit hour or $209 per graduate semester credit hour; and $249 per doctoral semester credit hour.

Students will be given notice on their tuition bill, tuition receipt or an email in connection with tuition charges, of the amount of his/her tuition payment that is required to be set aside to provide financial assistance for students enrolled at the institution per the Texas Education Code, Section 56.014.

Tuition and fees are subject to change by legislative or regental action and become effective on the date enacted. The Texas Legislature does not set the specific amount for any particular student fee. The student fees assessed above are authorized by state statute; however, the specific fee amounts and the determination to increase fees are made by the university administration and The University of Texas System Board of Regents. Tuition and fee updates can be found at http://www.uttyler.edu/catalog/tuition/.

In addition all students are required to pay a set of mandatory fees, as set out below.

Fixed Tuition Price Plan

The University of Texas at Tyler offers a fixed tuition price plan for undergraduate students. The fixed tuition price plan provides a constant per-semester-hour tuition rate for 12 consecutive semesters. Tuition and fee updates can be found at http://www.uttyler.edu/catalog/tuition/.

Other Fees and Charges

Tuition and Fees for Excess Hours

As authorized by state law, a student who pays resident tuition rates and who attempts hours that exceed a designated limit will be charged nonresident tuition rates. The designated limit for a student who initially enrolled in an institution of higher education in Fall 1999 through Summer 2006 is 45 credit hours beyond the required hours for the student's declared degree program. The designated limit for a student who initially enrolled in an institution of higher education in Fall 2006 or later is 30 credit hours beyond the hours required for completion of the student’s degree program.

The following semester credit hours are not included in the calculation:

semester credit hours earned by the student 10 or more years before the date the student begins the new degree program under the Academic Fresh Start Program of the Texas Education Code, § 51.931;

hours earned by the student before receiving a baccalaureate degree that has previously been awarded to the student;

hours earned by the student by examination or similar method without registering for a course

hours from remedial and developmental courses, workforce education courses, or other courses that would not generate academic credit that could be applied to a degree at the institution if the course work is within the 27-hour limit at two-year colleges and the 18-hour limit at general academic institutions;

hours earned by the student at a private institution or an out-of-state institution; and

hours not eligible for formula funding.

For more information contact the Enrollment Services Center.

Doctoral Excess Hours (99-hour Rule)

A resident doctoral student who has a total of 100 or more semester credit hours of doctoral work at an institution of higher education is required to pay nonresident doctoral tuition rates. Contact the Enrollment Services Center for more information.